Manatee Sheriff's Office faces allegations of a hostile workplace

Published: Sunday, October 6, 2013 at 5:28 p.m.

Last Modified: Sunday, October 6, 2013 at 5:28 p.m.

MANATEEE COUNTY - Since former deputy Robert Craig's decision to appeal his termination — which he contends is ultimately based on his sexual orientation — others who previously worked at the Manatee County Sheriff's Office have stepped forward to share their own experiences.

Their stories are the same:

“It was a completely hostile work environment.”

“There was a target on me.”

“They will get you.”

Craig, 34, is one of four deputies who lost their jobs this summer after a steroids investigation. The three other men were fired or resigned after buying illegal substances from a confidential informant. Craig, who canceled his order when he found out the drugs might be illegal, was fired for conduct unbecoming a law enforcement officer.

Sheriff Brad Steube rebuts Craig's claims that his sexual orientation was a factor in the decision.

“That has nothing to do with this,” Steube said Tuesday. “He was negotiating to buy steroids. I'm not sure that law enforcement officers should be involved in illegal activity. The only way you can buy steroids legally is with a prescription for a doctor, and he should know that like any other person.”

When contacted Friday for a follow-up interview, Steube — through the agency's spokesman Dave Bristow — declined comment, saying that he did not want to prejudice Craig's upcoming hearing.

Craig maintains he was unaware that the items he agreed to buy were illegal steroids. Craig says the man trying to sell them to him was an old friend. They had worked together at the Sheriff's Office. They had bonded when their fathers died of cancer. Craig said the confidential informant even sent him nude photos. Though he calls his actions embarrassing and naive, Craig said he only feigned interest in what he believed to be “all-natural testosterone boosters” in an attempt to have sex with the man.

“If I did something wrong, I would've resigned,” Craig said.

He is scheduled to appeal his termination at 8:30 a.m. Wednesday.

David Weires, who resigned a couple of years ago, went through the cadet program with Craig and worked with him at the jail. He recalled a lieutenant who regularly called Craig a “faggot,” he told the Herald-Tribune Friday.

“There was no way that he was going to have any type of career there as long as she was in charge,” Weires said. “It was really obvious that he wasn't going to have a shot working there. They labeled him as gay, tagged him and that was it. Every time he turned around, they're trying to figure out some way to get him out of there.”

Because he was friends with Craig, Weires said he was targeted, too. He said bogus internal affairs investigations were launched against him. And after he complained about a supervisor's behavior, she was assigned to rate his performance.

“Once I got in there and I saw how cliquish it was and what type of working atmosphere it was, I was shocked by it,” Weires said. “Eventually, that's why I left.”

Tony Humphrey, who also worked with Craig at the jail, had similar recollections.

“Craig, poor guy, he went through hell,” Humphrey said. “There were times he was going to quit, and I said: 'Don't you dare. If you quit, they win.' ”

Humphrey said supervisors would instruct training deputies to be rough on Craig. He specifically recalled an incident where Craig was asked to inventory a supply closet at the jail, from which the training deputy had purposely hidden an item.

“They told him they wanted to get rid of Craig,” Humphrey said, adding that he told that training deputy: “Listen, don't you dare do what these people are telling you to do. Don't you dare be somebody's do-boy. This man has done what he's supposed to do. Give him a fair chance so he can become a deputy.”

Humphrey recalls filing a complaint about a supervisor's behavior toward Craig and about others experiencing disrespect, but few deputies were willing to substantiate his claims.

“Neither the supervisors nor the other deputies would stand up and have the integrity to say: 'Listen, this is his life and he works here with us. This attitude will not be tolerated,' ” Humphrey said. “The sheriff's department has their different groups — if you're not like us, then you're one of them.”

Humphrey said Craig was set up for failure.

“They will get you. They'll wait until they have their opportunity,” Humphrey said. “You don't have to do anything to get in trouble. You get in trouble when you can't prove you didn't do anything. If you can't prove you didn't do it, you get fired.”

He remembers the surprise he felt when a lieutenant vaguely explained the situation regarding Craig.

“ 'He is not the kind of people we want working for the Sheriff's Office,' ” Humphrey said he recalled her saying.

“ 'What do you mean?' ” he asked.

“ 'You know what I mean,' ” she responded.

“When she said that and I walked out, I had to really think,” Humphrey said.

If it were not for the hostile work environment at the Sheriff's Office, Humphrey said he would not have retired two years ago.

Kris Kennedy said she had a similar experience.

“I thought it was time for me to go,” said Kennedy, who retired in June after 26 years at the Sheriff's Office. “There was a target on me. I didn't want to live under a microscope like that.”

Kennedy, who considers herself bisexual, began experiencing problems in 2010, when an internal affairs investigation looked into sexual encounters she had with a female subordinate.

“They tried to demote me. I fought that, and I won,” Kennedy said.

Kennedy was suspended for her actions and transferred to a different department. That is when she felt pressure from the administration.

She said she believes that is why Steube refused to sign for her to attend the FBI National Academy — a prestigious, invite-only training course meant to improve law enforcement standards, knowledge and cooperation worldwide — in Quantico, Va.

Kennedy was nominated and completed her interviews. When she asked Steube to approve her recommendation, Kennedy said he highlighted the requirement of “moral character,” and said that he did not agree she met that criteria.

“Once you cross a line with him, you know it's over,” Kennedy said. “They wait until you do something, that's how they get you.”

“Robert got himself into something, so how is he going to prove he was targeted? It's asinine what he's being accused of.”

As the nation makes strides in acceptance of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community, there is still fear of what repercussions could arise should they “come out.”

Craig, Kennedy and other former Manatee County Sheriff's Office employees said there are others who are afraid to be open about their sexuality for fear of retaliation.

The agency's general order on harassment and discrimination is limited to “color, race, religion, national origin, sex, ancestry, age, disability, marital status, political beliefs, or any other characteristics protected by local, state, or federal law in the workplace is prohibited.”

“There is no law that protects sexual orientation or transgender people unless there is a local or state ordinance; there isn't one in Manatee County,” said Kendra Presswood, an employment attorney in Bradenton.

Presswood said “conduct unbecoming” is a catch-all when a person's actions don't fall within a specific violation of general orders.

“If the reason for termination is sexual orientation, race or gender, employers almost always come up with an excuse,” the attorney said.

Corie Holmes, a former Sheriff's Office deputy who is running for a seat on the Manatee County Commission, does not agree with Craig's termination.

“This guy committed no crime. He violated no policy,” Holmes said. “I'm very upset at the fact that his young man is being harassed. We have to be fair and we have to treat people with a level of equality.”

That is the role of Florida L.E.G.A.L., or Law Enforcement Gays And Lesbians, an organization that seeks to promote equality for LGBT people working in public safety.

The organization is working with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement to create training programs on the topic.

“This is a safety issue, an educational issue and a community issue,” said Daniel Whittaker, president of Florida L.E.G.A.L.

Whittaker, who worked as an openly gay officer for two decades, recently retired from the Venice Police Department. He said his organization wants to help people understand that LGBT officers should not be treated different from straight employees.

“I'm still a human being, I still do my job and I still do it professionally,” Whittaker said.

L.E.G.A.L. is hoping to reach that point of acceptance starting with policy changes and administrative training.

“With the new generation, it's not an issue. Most of them know someone gay or have someone gay in their family,” Whittaker said. “Where you still have some issues is with senior memberships who are still old school. You can have your beliefs, but keep them personal. You're here to serve and protect.”

Though L.E.G.A.L. is not involved with Craig's case, Whittaker said the first question to answer when someone claims they were discriminated against based on sexual orientation is this: “Is it sexuality or a legitimate violation of policy?”

“When I found out from another deputy that it could be illegal, not only did I plan to do an intel report, I did what a deputy should do and said, 'No, thank you,' ” Craig said.

That is what Craig's attorney, Peter Lombardo, will argue during Wednesday's hearing with the Career Services Appeal Board — consisting of two appointments by Steube, two appointments by Craig and a leader chosen by those four members.

“The Sheriff's Office asking for his termination, we believe is totally unjustified,” Lombardo said. “He never purchased anything, and he never planned on purchasing anything. The confidential informant never told Mr. Craig these were illegal substances. He thought they were over-the-counter items.”

Craig said he believes the case is about public perception, and questioned when Steube “stopped being a cop and became a politician.”

<p><em>MANATEEE COUNTY</em> - Since former deputy Robert Craig's decision to appeal his termination — which he contends is ultimately based on his sexual orientation — others who previously worked at the Manatee County Sheriff's Office have stepped forward to share their own experiences.</p><p>Their stories are the same:</p><p>“It was a completely hostile work environment.”</p><p>“There was a target on me.”</p><p>“They will get you.”</p><p>Craig, 34, is one of four deputies who lost their jobs this summer after a steroids investigation. The three other men were fired or resigned after buying illegal substances from a confidential informant. Craig, who canceled his order when he found out the drugs might be illegal, was fired for conduct unbecoming a law enforcement officer.</p><p>Sheriff Brad Steube rebuts Craig's claims that his sexual orientation was a factor in the decision.</p><p>“That has nothing to do with this,” Steube said Tuesday. “He was negotiating to buy steroids. I'm not sure that law enforcement officers should be involved in illegal activity. The only way you can buy steroids legally is with a prescription for a doctor, and he should know that like any other person.”</p><p>When contacted Friday for a follow-up interview, Steube — through the agency's spokesman Dave Bristow — declined comment, saying that he did not want to prejudice Craig's upcoming hearing.</p><p>Craig maintains he was unaware that the items he agreed to buy were illegal steroids. Craig says the man trying to sell them to him was an old friend. They had worked together at the Sheriff's Office. They had bonded when their fathers died of cancer. Craig said the confidential informant even sent him nude photos. Though he calls his actions embarrassing and naive, Craig said he only feigned interest in what he believed to be “all-natural testosterone boosters” in an attempt to have sex with the man.</p><p>“If I did something wrong, I would've resigned,” Craig said.</p><p>He is scheduled to appeal his termination at 8:30 a.m. Wednesday.</p><p>David Weires, who resigned a couple of years ago, went through the cadet program with Craig and worked with him at the jail. He recalled a lieutenant who regularly called Craig a “faggot,” he told the Herald-Tribune Friday.</p><p>“There was no way that he was going to have any type of career there as long as she was in charge,” Weires said. “It was really obvious that he wasn't going to have a shot working there. They labeled him as gay, tagged him and that was it. Every time he turned around, they're trying to figure out some way to get him out of there.”</p><p>Because he was friends with Craig, Weires said he was targeted, too. He said bogus internal affairs investigations were launched against him. And after he complained about a supervisor's behavior, she was assigned to rate his performance.</p><p>“Once I got in there and I saw how cliquish it was and what type of working atmosphere it was, I was shocked by it,” Weires said. “Eventually, that's why I left.”</p><p>Tony Humphrey, who also worked with Craig at the jail, had similar recollections.</p><p>“Craig, poor guy, he went through hell,” Humphrey said. “There were times he was going to quit, and I said: 'Don't you dare. If you quit, they win.' ”</p><p>Humphrey said supervisors would instruct training deputies to be rough on Craig. He specifically recalled an incident where Craig was asked to inventory a supply closet at the jail, from which the training deputy had purposely hidden an item.</p><p>“They told him they wanted to get rid of Craig,” Humphrey said, adding that he told that training deputy: “Listen, don't you dare do what these people are telling you to do. Don't you dare be somebody's do-boy. This man has done what he's supposed to do. Give him a fair chance so he can become a deputy.”</p><p>Humphrey recalls filing a complaint about a supervisor's behavior toward Craig and about others experiencing disrespect, but few deputies were willing to substantiate his claims.</p><p>“Neither the supervisors nor the other deputies would stand up and have the integrity to say: 'Listen, this is his life and he works here with us. This attitude will not be tolerated,' ” Humphrey said. “The sheriff's department has their different groups — if you're not like us, then you're one of them.”</p><p>Humphrey said Craig was set up for failure.</p><p>“They will get you. They'll wait until they have their opportunity,” Humphrey said. “You don't have to do anything to get in trouble. You get in trouble when you can't prove you didn't do anything. If you can't prove you didn't do it, you get fired.”</p><p>He remembers the surprise he felt when a lieutenant vaguely explained the situation regarding Craig.</p><p>“ 'He is not the kind of people we want working for the Sheriff's Office,' ” Humphrey said he recalled her saying. </p><p>“ 'What do you mean?' ” he asked.</p><p>“ 'You know what I mean,' ” she responded.</p><p>“When she said that and I walked out, I had to really think,” Humphrey said.</p><p>If it were not for the hostile work environment at the Sheriff's Office, Humphrey said he would not have retired two years ago.</p><p>Kris Kennedy said she had a similar experience.</p><p>“I thought it was time for me to go,” said Kennedy, who retired in June after 26 years at the Sheriff's Office. “There was a target on me. I didn't want to live under a microscope like that.”</p><p>Kennedy, who considers herself bisexual, began experiencing problems in 2010, when an internal affairs investigation looked into sexual encounters she had with a female subordinate.</p><p>“They tried to demote me. I fought that, and I won,” Kennedy said.</p><p>Kennedy was suspended for her actions and transferred to a different department. That is when she felt pressure from the administration.</p><p>“I don't believe the sheriff likes homosexual behavior,” Kennedy said.</p><p>She said she believes that is why Steube refused to sign for her to attend the FBI National Academy — a prestigious, invite-only training course meant to improve law enforcement standards, knowledge and cooperation worldwide — in Quantico, Va.</p><p>Kennedy was nominated and completed her interviews. When she asked Steube to approve her recommendation, Kennedy said he highlighted the requirement of “moral character,” and said that he did not agree she met that criteria.</p><p>“Once you cross a line with him, you know it's over,” Kennedy said. “They wait until you do something, that's how they get you.”</p><p>“Robert got himself into something, so how is he going to prove he was targeted? It's asinine what he's being accused of.”</p><p>As the nation makes strides in acceptance of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community, there is still fear of what repercussions could arise should they “come out.”</p><p>Craig, Kennedy and other former Manatee County Sheriff's Office employees said there are others who are afraid to be open about their sexuality for fear of retaliation.</p><p>The agency's general order on harassment and discrimination is limited to “color, race, religion, national origin, sex, ancestry, age, disability, marital status, political beliefs, or any other characteristics protected by local, state, or federal law in the workplace is prohibited.”</p><p>“There is no law that protects sexual orientation or transgender people unless there is a local or state ordinance; there isn't one in Manatee County,” said Kendra Presswood, an employment attorney in Bradenton.</p><p>Presswood said “conduct unbecoming” is a catch-all when a person's actions don't fall within a specific violation of general orders.</p><p>“If the reason for termination is sexual orientation, race or gender, employers almost always come up with an excuse,” the attorney said.</p><p>Corie Holmes, a former Sheriff's Office deputy who is running for a seat on the Manatee County Commission, does not agree with Craig's termination.</p><p>“This guy committed no crime. He violated no policy,” Holmes said. “I'm very upset at the fact that his young man is being harassed. We have to be fair and we have to treat people with a level of equality.”</p><p>That is the role of Florida L.E.G.A.L., or Law Enforcement Gays And Lesbians, an organization that seeks to promote equality for LGBT people working in public safety.</p><p>The organization is working with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement to create training programs on the topic.</p><p>“This is a safety issue, an educational issue and a community issue,” said Daniel Whittaker, president of Florida L.E.G.A.L.</p><p>Whittaker, who worked as an openly gay officer for two decades, recently retired from the Venice Police Department. He said his organization wants to help people understand that LGBT officers should not be treated different from straight employees. </p><p>“I'm still a human being, I still do my job and I still do it professionally,” Whittaker said. </p><p>L.E.G.A.L. is hoping to reach that point of acceptance starting with policy changes and administrative training.</p><p>“With the new generation, it's not an issue. Most of them know someone gay or have someone gay in their family,” Whittaker said. “Where you still have some issues is with senior memberships who are still old school. You can have your beliefs, but keep them personal. You're here to serve and protect.”</p><p>Though L.E.G.A.L. is not involved with Craig's case, Whittaker said the first question to answer when someone claims they were discriminated against based on sexual orientation is this: “Is it sexuality or a legitimate violation of policy?”</p><p>Craig denies violating Sheriff's Office policies with regards to steroids.</p><p>“When I found out from another deputy that it could be illegal, not only did I plan to do an intel report, I did what a deputy should do and said, 'No, thank you,' ” Craig said. </p><p>That is what Craig's attorney, Peter Lombardo, will argue during Wednesday's hearing with the Career Services Appeal Board — consisting of two appointments by Steube, two appointments by Craig and a leader chosen by those four members.</p><p>“The Sheriff's Office asking for his termination, we believe is totally unjustified,” Lombardo said. “He never purchased anything, and he never planned on purchasing anything. The confidential informant never told Mr. Craig these were illegal substances. He thought they were over-the-counter items.”</p><p>Craig said he believes the case is about public perception, and questioned when Steube “stopped being a cop and became a politician.”</p><p>“This whole thing is about character.”</p>